# US 10,871,721 B2 · Mask blank for lithography and method of manufacturing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,721 B2 - Document ID: US10871721B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/573,861 - Filed: 2019-09-17 - Published: 2020-04-02 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-28 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Ming-Wei Chen; Hsin-Chang Lee; Ping-Hsun Lin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871721B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/70925: {Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning} - B08B 1/10: characterised by the type of cleaning tool - C09D 163/00: Coating compositions based on epoxy resins; Coating compositions based on derivatives of epoxy resins - C09D 183/04: Polysiloxanes - G03F 1/44: Testing or measuring features, e.g. grid patterns, focus monitors, sawtooth scales or notched scales - G03F 7/70741: {Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries} - B08B 7/0028: {by adhesive surfaces} - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract A mask for cleaning a lithography apparatus includes a mask substrate and a coating provided on a surface of the mask substrate. The coating is configured to trap particulate contaminant matter from the lithography apparatus. A method of cleaning a lithography tool is also provided preparing a cleaning mask including a particle trapping layer formed on a substrate. The method includes transferring the cleaning mask through a mask transferring route of the lithography tool. Subsequently, the method includes analyzing a particle trapped by the particle trapping layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of cleaning a lithography tool, the method comprising: preparing a cleaning mask; and transferring the cleaning mask through a mask transferring route of the lithography tool, wherein the cleaning mask includes a particle trapping layer formed on a substrate and the particle trapping layer includes nano-fibers forming a mesh structure, and wherein the particle trapping layer is formed on all surfaces of the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the nano-fibers include at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, titanium oxide nano-wires, and zinc oxide nano-wires. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the particle trapping layer includes a polymer layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the polymer layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of polydimethyl siloxane, PMMA and epoxy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the substrate is a quartz substrate or a low thermal expansion material substrate, and the particle trapping layer is formed directly on at least one surface of the quartz substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the substrate is a quartz substrate or a low thermal expansion material substrate, having a patterned surface, and the particle trapping layer is formed on the patterned surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the substrate is a quartz substrate or a low thermal expansion material substrate, on which a multi-layered structure is formed, and the particle trapping layer is formed on the multi-layered structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the multi-layered structure includes patterns. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning mask is transferred through the mask transferring route multiple times. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a surface of the particle trapping layer has a different hydrophilicity than a surface of the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a surface of the particle trapping layer has a different electron affinity than a surface of the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mesh structure has a mesh size in a range from 1 nm to 500 nm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein further including counting a number of particles before and after the transferring the cleaning mask. ### Claim 14 A method of cleaning a lithography tool, the method comprising: preparing a cleaning mask, the cleaning mask including a particle trapping layer formed on a substrate and the particle trapping layer including nano-fibers formed on a roughened surface; transferring the cleaning mask through a mask transferring route of the lithography tool; and analyzing a particle trapped by the particle trapping layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising identifying a source of the particle based on the analysis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising counting a number of particles before and after the transferring the cleaning mask. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising cleaning a part of the lithography tool corresponding to the source of the particle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising, after cleaning the part, transferring the cleaning mask through the mask transferring route and checking if there is a newly trapped particle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the cleaning and transferring are repeated until a number of trapped particles is less than a threshold number. ### Claim 20 A cleaning photo mask for an EUV lithography tool, comprising: a substrate; and a particle trapping layer formed on at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the particle trapping layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of nano-fibers and a polymer and the nano-fibers form a mesh structure, the substrate is a quartz substrate or a low thermal expansion material substrate, and the particle trapping layer is formed directly on at least one surface of the quartz substrate.